WWE Hall of Fame 2013: Update, Rumors and Thoughts

So far this has been a very strong class. Mick Foley and Bob Backlund alone make a great headliner and co-headliner. Trish herself if the best divas candidate due to her current popularity. Many fans still around adore her and she is always well received.

With more names to be announced, the question is where does this class go from here. In the past, the normal amount of inductees was seven. 2004 had eleven and had five plus a stable of five people. Both are examples of the theoretical irregular years.

Lets take a look at some of the rumored names potentially to be added.

Bruno Sammartino:

Without question, Bruno is the biggest gaping hole in the WWE Hall of Fame (Randy Savage immediately follows). And the 2013 ceremony takes place in Madison Square Garden, which Bruno sold out for decades in Capitol Wrestling and the WWWF. This is why HHH has been pushing this one.

Still, no one believes this is will really happen. Bruno is the most outspoken critic of the WWE and hates Vince McMahon’s guts. Unlikely has always been the key word.

However, mutliple sources this past week say that this is actually close to being done. Reports have surfaced that HHH made the deal or is at least close to a deal and that HHH reamins confident.

In shoot interviews, Sammartino has spoken a lot about respect, especially respect when it comes to money. He feels that old timers aren’t paid well (in comparison to celebrities) by the WWE, and because of personality has to make a statement. That does open up a door for this induction, if the E ponies up the dollars.

This would be the catch of catches if it does happen. Still, somehow seems unlikely.

Chances of Induction 5 out 10

Kamala

Kamala was one of the earliest rumored names. It has been reported online that the WWE has made an offer to James Harris and has not as yet been confirmed.

Kamala has had a hard life. He headlined for the WWE during three different runs, 1984 with Andre, 1987 with Hogan and 1992 with Undertaker. He was a good hand monster type. He was known for being a mild mannered well liked individual. Yet, his biggest gripe has always been that he wasn’t paid to be a main eventer, when he actually functioned in that position often. But as they say, “Nice guys finish last”

Kamala has money issues and health issues. The offer for induction may be a olive branch from the E to make up for his bad pay days from the 80s. It also may be to help him as he is now a double amputee and suffering in semi-poverty (think what the E did for Tony Atlas throughout the years)

This is not to say that Kamala doesn’t deserve induction. Kamala was for main years and main attraction and a very memorable character during the era of large characters.

Chances of induction 7 out of 10

DX

There is no question that Degeneration X will eventually be in the WWE Hall of Fame. Starting with 2012’s induction of the Four Horsemen, WWE opened the door for factions. Eventually, the New World Order, Evolution, Dangerous Alliance, and maybe even the Heenan Family may go in.

Factions are an easy way to cover a large group of deserving wrestlers and to also generally will act like a headling act. That being said, it is too soon for DX. Triple H is not officially retired and 2013 should really concentrate of the figures important to MSG. The closest “faction” to MSG was not DX, but the Kliq (which I have said repeatedly on this blog is not a wrestling group and were in fact, really shitty to other wrestlers)

Triple H should go in as a single wrestler first and put DX in the next year or the following. The reason for this rumor, or possible induction, is to be a secondary (or co-headliner) to Mick Foley.

If Bruno Sammartino gets inducted, this is uneccessary. Also, theoretically, this would have been one of the first inductions to be announced. It is theoretically possible, but not likely.

Chances of Induction

If Bruno says Yes: 2 out of 10

If Bruno says No: 9 out of 10

Ivan Koloff

Ivan Koloff was a newly rumored inductee this past week. Koloff will forever be remembered as the man who ended Bruno Sammartino’s epic 7 year reign with the belt in 1971. The audience in attendance was so shocked that Koloff wasn’t even given the championship belt for fear of a riot.

He then went on to have a good career with the NWA and many other regional territories as a tag partner of the younger Nikita Koloff (and to a degree Krusher Krushev)

This inductee makes sense for two major reasons. Koloff defeated Sammartino at Madison Square Garden (as to pass championship to Pedro Morales). Sammartino was always known to be a prideful man, and his choice for the heel to beat him was his friend Ivan Koloff.

If Bruno has agreed to be inducted, part of this agreement may be an induction for a friend of his (and also someone to talk to during the weekend) Ivan Koloff